W O R L D

Round III also swings Obama’s way
New York, October 16
Seeking to recapture his sagging electoral fortunes, Republican presidential nominee John McCain today attacked his Democratic rival Barack Obama, forcing him to go on backfoot in the final debate, promising that he would give a “new direction” to the battered US economy while distancing himself from “President Bush”.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (R) and Republican presidential candidate John McCain shake hands at the start of the presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on Wednesday. — AP/PTI

EU, G-8 want India to join emergency summit
Washington/Brussels, October 16
Leaders of the European Union and the Group of Eight major industrial countries want India to join in an emergency global summit to devise strategies to tackle the global financial crisis and overhaul the world’s financial system.

India, Pak for joint patrolling on border
Pakistan and India on Thursday agreed to carry out joint patrolling on the border to curb smuggling. This was announced at a joint press briefing of the Rangers and the BSF in Lahore.

Hindu rights group vows to continue stir
Kuala Lumpur, October 16
An outlawed Malaysian Hindu rights group vowed today to continue its fight despite fresh threats of a government crackdown, raising fears of further political instability. Citing a security threat, the government yesterday banned the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) which held a massive anti-government protest last November against alleged discrimination of minority ethnic Indians.

9 die in Pak missile, suicide attacks
Islamabad, October 16
Six persons were killed and five injured in a missile strike today by a suspected US drone in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region, a stronghold of the local Taliban led by Baitullah Mehsud.

Round III also swings Obama’s way

New York, October 16
Seeking to recapture his sagging electoral fortunes, Republican presidential nominee John McCain today attacked his Democratic rival Barack Obama, forcing him to go on backfoot in the final debate, promising that he would give a “new direction” to the battered US economy while distancing himself from “President Bush”.

“Yes. Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago,” the 71-year-old Vietnam War veteran said in one of the more forceful moments of the third and final debate held at Hofstra University in Hempstead here, which was totally dominated by looming global economic crisis.

“I am going to give a new direction to this economy in this country,” McCain said as he engaged Obama in their most intense confrontation of the campaign, clashing on taxes, health care, abortion, energy policy and the bitter tone of the ongoing campaign.

However, with less than three weeks before the US presidential election, Obama is leading the race in most national polls. A CNN opinion research poll of people, who watched the debate found 58 per cent, said Obama did the best job while 31 per cent said McCain did.

A CBS News instant poll of uncommitted voters, who viewed the debate, gave the edge to Obama by a margin of 53-22 per cent. While 24 per cent said the debate was a draw.

Uncommitted voters also thought Obama won the first and second debates. Before the debate, 54 per cent thought Obama shared their values. That percentage rose to 63 per cent after the debate. For McCain, 53 per cent thought he shared their values before the debate, and 56 per cent thought so afterwards. — PTI

Global Financial Crisis
EU, G-8 want India to join emergency summit

Washington/Brussels, October 16
Leaders of the European Union and the Group of Eight major industrial countries want India to join in an emergency global summit to devise strategies to tackle the global financial crisis and overhaul the world’s financial system.

At the EU summit that ended today in Brussels, France, the current chairperson of the rotating presidency of the 27-nation bloc, and the UK pushed for participation of emerging economic powers like India and China in the global finance summit expected to be held in New York, sometime, next month. A joint statement released by the White House said the leaders of the Group of Eight (G-8) - the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia - would meet “at an appropriate time in the near future.”

The statement indicated that the G-8 nations would include other major nations in the discussions, which were to be aimed at drafting “an agenda for reforms to meet the challenges of the 21st century.” British Premier Gordon Brown said the meeting devoted to a complete overhaul of the financial system could be held as early as November.

He said the discussions “to take common action... for very large and very radical changes” should include not only the world’s richest nations but also major emerging economies such as China and India.

At the EU summit, Sarkozy said emerging economies such as China and India outside the G-8 should also participate because “no one should feel excluded from what we are recasting.” The summit was dominated by the current global financial crisis.

Sarkozy said the meeting to forge common action to prevent another economic meltdown should be held in New York “where everything started” and lead towards “a new capitalism.” — PTI

India, Pak for joint patrolling on border
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

Hindu rights group vows to continue stir

Kuala Lumpur, October 16
An outlawed Malaysian Hindu rights group vowed today to continue its fight despite fresh threats of a government crackdown, raising fears of further political instability. Citing a security threat, the government yesterday banned the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) which held a massive anti-government protest last November against alleged discrimination of minority ethnic Indians.

The government is holding five Hindraf leaders under the harsh Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial. But Hindraf chairman Waytha Moorthy, living in exile in Britain, said the ban would not dampen the group's spirits. ''Hindraf will continue its struggle against the UMNO regime in Malaysia. We can no longer be cowed nor are we any longer afraid,” he said in a statement.

Ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus, make up 7 per cent of Malaysia’s 27 million population, and like ethnic Chinese, have expressed resentment against decades-old government policies giving majority Malays preferential treatment. The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) that represents ethnic Malays has been the dominant party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition that has been in power since independence in 1957.

Meanwhile, Home (Interior) minister Syed Hamid Albar said today he would let the police decide on the action to be taken against Hindraf supporters. — Reuters

9 die in Pak missile, suicide attacks

Islamabad, October 16
Six persons were killed and five injured in a missile strike today by a suspected US drone in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region, a stronghold of the local Taliban led by Baitullah Mehsud.

Local residents and witnesses told Dawn News channel that at least three missiles were fired at two houses, including that of a tribesman named Ghazi Khan Mehsud, in Tabargai village of South Waziristan.

In another incident, at least three policemen were killed today when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden car in a police station in Pakistan’s restive Swat valley in a pre-dawn attack. The attack in Mingora, the main city in Swat district, also injured over 20 security personnel, the police said. — PTI